Sheet-delivery apparatus.



G. HENDERSON.

SHEET DELIVERY APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 13, 1909.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

4 SHEETSSHEET 1.

0. HENDERSON.

SHEET DELIVERY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1909.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

4 SHEETBSHEET 2.

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G. HENDERSON.

SHEET DELIVERY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1909.

Patented Oct. 18,1910.

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0. HENDERSON.

SHEET DELIVERY APPARATUS.

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flii'orrzg/s UNITED sTArnsri rENT OFFICE.

CARL HENDERSON, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MIEHLE PRINTING PRESS AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SHEET-DELIVERY APPARATUS.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL HENDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing in Oak Park, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Sheet-Delivery Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an im movement in the sheet delivery apparatus 0 printing presses.

'T he main feature of it is found in the means adopted for propelling the sheet. These means consist of two pairs of opposing tapes, each pair gripping one edge of the sheet and travelin together in the same direction, the tapes being adapted to release the sheet when it has reached the place of deposit. To adapt the apparatus to use with varying widths'of paper, I mount the tape supporting and driving rollers in side frames which are adjustabletoward and from the central longitudinal line of the delivery apparatus, wlthout affecting in any way the1r operative connection to the actuating devices.

The nature of the invention is fully described below, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which latter-- Figure 1 is a plan of the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are sections on the lines 33, 4-4 and 5-45 respectively, of Fig. 1. Figs. 6 and 7 are sections on the lines 6-6 and 7-7 of Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is a plan of the arts shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a detail vertical section showing the head for positioning one of the tape rollers on the line 9-9, Fig. 2; and Fig. 10 is a detail view of the sheet arresting devices.

In said drawing, 10 represents the frame of the press, and 11 the impression cylinder or other deliverin device of the printing mechanism thereo. At each side of the path of the sheet, I arrange two endless carriers, preferably tapes, 12 and 13, one directly over the other, and support the proximate courses of theseta es in contact with each other bymeans of closely associated pressure rollers, so that each pair is adapted to take hold of the edge of the sheet and feed it'forward. The lowest tapes 13 pass around rollers 14 at one end, and rollers 15 at the other end, the shaft of rollers 14 be ing driven at a speed sufiicient to give the tapes a speed equaling that the paper re- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed Kay 13, 1909.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910. Serial No. 495,599.

ceives from the printing mechanism and in the direction in which it is projected thereby. Between each pair of the rollers 14 and 15 is a series of pressure rollers 18 acting to support the u per course of the lower tapes against the owercourse of the upper tapes 12. The upper tapes are carried by end rollers 19 and 20 and the shaft of rollers 19 has gear 17 meshing with gear 16, so that the upper tapes are actuated at the same speed as the lower ones. The shaft 41 of rollers 14 may be driven in any suitable way. As shown in Figs. 1 and 5, shaft 41 has a pinion 41 meshing with an intermediate gear 41 driven by a gear 41 on cylinder 11. Between the rollers 19 and 20' is a series of pressure rollers 22, similar to the series 18, and acting to press the lower course of the upper tapes downward. By this construction each of the tapes is opposed to another tape, so that the two can grasp an edge of the passing sheets as they come from the printing mechanism and the two pairs of tapes thus seizin the sheet by its opposite edges, are enab ed to control the sheet and continue its movement at the surface speed of the printing mechanism until it arrives over the place at which it should be deposited.

The discharge of the sheets from the feeding tapes is accomplished in any suitable way, as for instance by moving the lower tapes and their supporting rollers laterally away from under the sheet, thus withdrawing all support from it, so that it can fall without resistance, and at the same time lifting the upper tapes and their rollers slightly, so as to withdraw from the sheet all the propelling power of the tapes. These changes in the tapes are brought about at the proper times by the cam 23 on shaft 24 actuated from thedriving shaft 25, the cam swinging the pivoted lever 26 and giving longitudinal motion to a connecting rod 27, and swinging the bent lever 28 u on its pivot 29. Lever 28 is jointed to a ink 21 attached to a collar 30 on the slidin rod 31 having racks at each end. The rac s mesh with mutilated gears 33 mounted on rock shafts 34, carrying cams 35, which lift arms 36 mounted on the shafts 37 supporting the driving pinions 17 actuating the rollers of the upper tapes. Arms 36 are attached to sleeves 36 to which are attached arms 36 as t that are pivotally connected to bars 44 carry--- .22 are pivoted, are also raised. This operation results in freeing the sheets from the tapes so that they no longer feel any propelling force from them. Each rock shaft 34 also carries two peripheral cams 38 in which a stud 39 is entered, and through such studs the longitudinal bars 40 are moved outward from the paper suificiently to carry the lower tapes from under the paper, the pressure rollers 18 being pivoted to the bars and the rollers 14 and 15 being slidable upon the cross shafts 41 and 42 by which they are supported, but made to slide with the bars by guides 43 which extend from the bars around their peripheries as seen at Fig. 3. v To arrest the sheet after it has been released by the tapes any suitable devices may be employed, but one construction by which it may be done is the means I refer shown in the drawing and consists of the arms 45 attached to longitudinal bars 46 and projecting over the bars '40 into the path of the paper but below the same, andco-acting pivoted s ring actuated triggers 47. The triggers 4 are mounted on the inner ends of rock shafts 48 passing horizontally and transversely through the bars 44 and between the rollers 22 and are provided with cranks 50 on their outer ends. \Vhen the parts are in normal position the triggers are normally held above the paper by the crank 50 resting u on bars 40. The triggers are adapted to rop and clamp the paper instantly against the arms 45 under the action of springs 50 as soon as the upper tapes are raised, as above described, and will hold the sheetuntil the lower tapes have been moved laterally'so as to carry the inclines 51 on the lower tape bars 40 under the ends of crank 50 and cause them to lift the triggers. The sheet is clamped back of its transverse center so that there is very little or no tendency of the sheet to gather or wrinkle back of the clamping point, the main portion of the sheet being forward of the clamps and exerting a pulling force. The clamps practically remain in action only longlenough to arrest the sheet and as soon e tapes and their supports have moved back to normal positions, the clamps are held open by the cranks 50 resting on bars 40. I provlde a series of openings 48 in bars 44 allowing the arresting devices to be positioned'diflerently to accommodate sheets of different length the arms 45 being correspondingl y adjustable on bars 46.

To enable the use of the invention with paper of varying widths, I. form at each side of the path of the paper, laterally sliding headseach with a bar 46 as its backbone, and metal connections 53 from said bars 46 to the shafts 34 42 and 37, so that all parts in each head slide unitedly. And the sliding by which the heads are adjusted to the paper, is accomplished by vparallel transverse screws 55 mounted at each end of theapparatus and engaging the heads and operated by the crank 56, and by transmitting motion from the crank screw to the cForresponding screw at the other end see The feeding tapes are kept taut by providing them with a pair of tipping pivoted tighteners 60 and uniting such tighteners by a spring in such manner as to render them constant in their action on the tapes.

I claim I 1. The combination with the printing mechanism of a printing press, of a sheet delivery apparatus having feeding devices and slowing devices the feeding devices whereof consists of directly opposing tapes touching the sheet only at its side edges, and the devices whereof for slowing the sheet also touching only the side edges thereof, whereby danger of smearing the printed surface is obviated.

2. The combination with the printing mechanism, of sheet delivery apparatus consisting of pairs of directly opposing tapes, one pair at each side of the sheet, and gripping the proximate edges thereof, such tapes traveling in the direction of the feed, means for engaging the tail of the sheet to 100 arrest its forward movement by the tapes at the dropping point, and means for caus ing the tapes to release the sheet simultaneously with the arrest thereof to drop the sheet.

3. In a sheet delivery mechanism for printing presses, the combination of two opposite parallel series of rollers, and endless tapes co-acting with each series of rollers adapted to engage the outermost margins of a sheet to forward the sheets from one 7 pair of rollers to the next; with means for engaging the tail of the sheet to arrest it when released and means for causing the rollers to release the sheet at the point of dropping. I

4. Sheet delivery mechanism for printing presses, comprising pairs of endless carriers adapted to grip the outermost margins of the sheets between them, means engaging the tail of the sheet to arrest it at the point of deposit, and means for causing the carriers to release the sheets at such point.

5. In sheet delivery mechanism for printing presses, the combination of airs of endless tapes arranged at opposlte sides of the path of the sheetand adapted to engage the outermost margins of the sheet between them, means for separating the tapes to allow the sheet to drop therefrom, and

means adapted to engage the tail of the sheet, and arrest the sheet at the dropping point.

(3. A sheet delivery mechanism for printing presses, comprising pairs of endless carriers adapted to grip only the outermost margins of a sheet between them; means arranged above and below the parallel runs of the carriers and adapted to cause them to bite the. mar ins of the sheet therebetween, and means or separating the carriers in order to drop the sheet.

7..A sheet delivery mechanism for printing presses. comprising pairs of opposed endless carriers, means adapted to cause the parallel runs of the carriers to positively bite the margins of the sheet therebetween, and means for moving the lower carriers outward from beneath the sheet to drop it.

8. A sheet delivery mechanism for printing presses, comprising pairs of parallel endless carriers. means for causing the adjacent parallel runs of the carriers in each pair to positively grip the margins of a sheet lying therebetween, and means for moving the lower carriers laterally to freely drop the sheet.

9. Sheet delivery mechanism for printing presses comprising two opposite pairs of endless co-acting carriers adapted to engage the outermost margins of the sheet, means for causing the parallel runs of the carriers in each pair to positively bite the margins of the sheet lying therebetween, and means for separating the carriers and moving the lower ones outward to drop the sheet.

10. In sheet delivery mechanism for printing presses, the combination of two opposed parallel series of rollers adapted to engage the margins of a sheet and support andforward the same, and means for separating the series of rollers and withdrawing the lower rollers from beneath the sheet to drop it at the desired point. i

11. Sheet delivery mechanism for printing presses comprising opposite pairs of co-acting endless carriers adapted to grip the outermost margins of a sheet, means for stopping the sheet on such carriers when released thereby, and means for separatin such carriers to freely drop the stopped sheet at the desired point.

12. Sheet delivery mechanism for printing presses comprising pairs of endless car riers arranged at opposite sides of the path of the sheet and adapted to grip only the outermost margins of the sheet between them, means for arresting the sheet on such carriers as it is released thereby, and means for separating the carriers in each pair to :irllow the stopped sheet to freely drop thererom.

13. The combination with printing mechanism, of sheet delivery apparatus embodying pairs of directly opposing tapes, one pair at each side of the sheet and gripping the proximate edges thereof. such tapes traveling in the direction of the feed. and being adapted to release the sheet at the point of dropping, and means for engaging the tail of the sheet to stop the sheet at the point of dropping when released by the tapes.

1%. A sheet delivery mechanism for printing presses. comprising pairs of opposed endless carriers arranged at opposite sides of the path of a sheet and adapted to engage the outermost margins thereof, means for causing the parallel runs of the carriers in each pair to grip the margins of the sheet lying therebetween, means for arresting the sheet, and means for moving the lower carriers outward to drop the sheet.

15. A sheet delivery mechanism for printing presses, comprising pairs of endless tapes adapted to receive the sheet, opposed rollers adapted to engage the parallel runs of the tapes and cause them to bite the sheet, means for stopping the sheet, and means for moving the lower carriers outward in order to drop the sheet.

16. Sheet delivery mechanism for printing presses comprising a plurality of series of opposed rollers adapted to bite the outermost margins of a sheet and hold, support and forward the same; with means for separating the series of rollers to release the sheet, means for simultaneously stopping the sheet, and means for thereafter withdrawing the lower series of rollers from beneath the sheet.

17. In a sheet delivery mechanism for printing presses, the combination of two series of opposed co-acting rollers respectively adapted to engage the outermost margins of a sheet; with means for separating the rollers vertically to cause them to freely release the sheet at the desired point, means for stopping the released sheet, and means for withdrawing the lower rollers from beneath the sheet.

18. In a sheet delivery mechanism for printing presses, the combination of a series of opposed rollers adapted to engage the outermost margins of a sheet and support and forward it, and endless carriers co-acting with each series of rollers, means for releasing the sheet, means for stopping the released sheet, and means for withdrawin the lower carriers from beneath the release sheet.

19. In a sheet delivery mechanism for printing presses, the combination of two series of opposed co-acting rollers adapted to engage the outermost margins of a. sheet and support and forward it, and endless carriers co-acting with each series of rollers; with means for separating the rollers to cause them to release the sheet, means for stopping the sheet, and means for withdrawing the lower carriers from beneath the released sheet.

20. In sheet delivery mechanism for printing presses, the combination of two pairs of endless tapes adapted to engage the outermost margins of a sheet, rollers on opposite sides of the parallel runs of the tapes adapted to cause them to bite the margins of the sheet therebetween, and means for separating the rollers and tapes and for withdrawing the tapes from beneath the sheet to freely drop it.

21. In a sheet delivery mechanism for printing presses, the combination of two pairs of endless tapes adapted to grip the outermost margins of the sheet, and means for causing the parallel runs of the tapes in each pair to grip the margins of the sheet lying therebetween; with means for causing the tapes to release the sheet at the point of deposit; means; for stopping the sheet at the vtime of its release, and means for withdrawing the lower tapes from beneath the. released sheet.

22. In a sheet delivery mechanism for printing presses the combination of pairs of endless tapes arranged at opposite sidesof the path of the sheet, and adapted to engage the outermost margins of the sheet between them; with means for directly separating the tapes to release the sheet, and means for moving the lower sets of tapes from beneath the released sheet.

23. In a sheet delivery mechanism for printing presses, the combination of'pairs of endless tapes arranged at opposite sides of the path of the sheet and adapted to engage the outermost margins of the sheet between them, and presser rollers co-acting with the pairs of tapes to cause them to bite the sheets; with means for directly separating the tapes to release the sheet, and means for moving the lower set of tapes from beneath the released sheet.

CARL HENDERSON.

Witnesses: 1

G. .M. HOBBINS, CHAS. HICKMAN. 

